County OKs $72 million budget plan

GOLD BEACH – The Curry County Board of Commissioners approved a budget of $72,416,261 at a special meeting on Wednesday but spent most of the discussion arguing over $825.

On May 22, the budget approved by the Budget Committee, which includes the three commissioners and three lay members, was $72,415,436 for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1. That included a 3 percent cost of living allowance for all county employees, including department heads and elected county officials.

County employees did not receive a COLA two years ago, but employee unions negotiated a two-year contract last year that included a COLA for the fiscal year just ending and a minimum 3 percent COLA for fiscal year 2010.

The Budget Committee noted that two other elected officials, Assessor Jim Kolen and County Clerk Reneé Kolen, would also have subordinates paid more than they are paid. But the committee declined to increase the salaries of those two elected officials to make them the highest paid in their offices.

Commissioner Bill Waddle at Wednesday’s meeting proposed to change that.

“The county clerk and tax assessor will be making less than their highest subordinates,” Waddle said.

He and Commissioner George Rhodes proposed spending $585 to increase the assessor’s salary and $240 the clerk’s salary to make them the highest paid employees in their offices.

“Why are we doing this?” Commissioner Georgia Nowlin asked.

“I feel elected officials or department heads should be making at least as much,” Waddle said.

“The only mandate I know of is the sheriff,” Nowlin said.

She said the Budget Committee decided to give elected officials the same COLA as other employees but did not vote to give any other pay increase to any elected official.

“I’m saying when we do this this time, it’s arbitrary, doing it for selected officials,” Nowlin said, suggesting it would set a precedent.

“2009 is a very unique year,” Nowlin said. “We’ve had a lot of economic turbulence, one of the highest rates of unemployment in the state of Oregon.”

She said the elected officials know what the salary is before they run for office.

“This is a very troubled time. People are losing jobs. I don’t think we (elected officials) should be taking COLA,” Nowlin said.

Nowlin noted that she and Waddle were the only two members of the Budget Committee to vote against the budget proposal. She said she voted against it because it gave elected officials the COLA.

“I voted against it because it didn’t include the $1,” Waddle said. “Why don’t we do away with COLA for all nonunion employees?”

Nowlin said the commission has both a salary committee and a Budget Committee.

“We set an example,” she said. “I’m feeling that this year I don’t think elected officials are entitled to a COLA. 2009 was very tough for most people.”

“You voted for COLA last year when you didn’t know we would have four years (federal) funding,” Waddle said.

County Accountant Gary Short said the cost of COLA for elected officials, with the exception of the sheriff, is $12,015.

“The Budget Committee approved COLA for all elected officials,” Short said.

Former Commissioner Marlyn Schafer asked to speak.

“It concerns me what you are doing,” Schafer said. “It sets a precedent which doesn’t meet the mandate of the Compensation Board. I sat through every single budget workshop. I heard (Compensation Board and Budget Committee member TV) Skinner say we considered changes for the assessor, clerk, treasurer, but felt we couldn’t do it at this time.”

Schafer said that last year when the commission voted on the final budget, “We did know we had four years. We already got word we would get it. We already had word from Congress. We got the money in October.

“The issue is, you can’t set a precedent for two elected officials that doesn’t include the recommendation of your compensation board,” Schafer said. “It isn’t a lot of money. It’s the fact you set a precedent that’s difficult to change.”

County Counsel Jerry Herbage said that under state statutes, the compensation committee “serve a very important function. They look at studies, make recommendations. They do not have the final say.”

Rhodes said he did not see COLA as being a raise.

He said the increase in pay for two elected officials to make their salaries higher than their subordinates is from “the issue of chain of command. They need to make at least a symbolic – as the sheriff – $1 more.”

“If it happens in the future, we should decide in the future,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes said the small amount it takes to pay the increase to the assessor and clerk would not matter.

“If it was taking $150,000, I would have some concerns,” Rhodes said. “If we could cut COLA out of the budget and save $150,000, I would be willing to do that.”

“I agree that department heads should not be making less,” Nowlin said. “But these are publicly elected officials. I’m looking at the precedent of giving two elected officials a raise. I find it very arrogant on our part to override the Compensation Board which decided now is not the time to do that.”

The budget was approved by a 2-1 vote with Nowlin voting no.

The budget gives the three commissioners a salary of $62,592 for fiscal year 2010, including a COLA of $1,823. The assessor receives a $1,657 COLA and $463 raise for a total of $57,366. The clerk receives a $1,648 COLA and $191 raise for a total of $56,773. The sheriff $1,970 COLA, $1,642 raise for $69,265. Surveyor a $1,603 COLA for a total of $55,028, and treasurer $1,638 COLA for $56,248.

The total cost of the increases for the assessor and clerk is higher than the raise because it includes the cost of benefits caused by the raise.

The commission also approved the property tax rate at the county permanent rate, $0.5996 per $1,000.